Homework
From Class 1/23
1. Syllabus Assignment
2. Cover song Assignment
1. Syllabus Assignment
2. Cover song Assignment
DUE : Thursday 2/6
We Started this in Class Tuesday (2/4) - Finish for class Thursday and start thinking about some observations ...
*** TYPE THIS UP - I WILL COLLECT IT ***
** This can also be found under " Instrumentation : Follow Up " Page in the drop down menu.
Activity #2 : Listening Exercise
Pick 10 songs you enjoy listening to ( by different artists !) and analyze the instrumentation .
Analyze the instrumentation = answer our 2 big instrumentation questions
1. How Many instruments are there
2. What are the instruments
After doing this , can you make any observations? Are there any combinations of instruments, or instruments that pop up more commonly than others (if so, which ones and why) ? Do more of your songs stick to one side of the dense --- sparse scale ? OR maybe its all over the place ? Do you think that instrumentation has any kind of effect on your tastes in music ?
*** TYPE THIS UP - I WILL COLLECT IT ***
** This can also be found under " Instrumentation : Follow Up " Page in the drop down menu.
Activity #2 : Listening Exercise
Pick 10 songs you enjoy listening to ( by different artists !) and analyze the instrumentation .
Analyze the instrumentation = answer our 2 big instrumentation questions
1. How Many instruments are there
2. What are the instruments
After doing this , can you make any observations? Are there any combinations of instruments, or instruments that pop up more commonly than others (if so, which ones and why) ? Do more of your songs stick to one side of the dense --- sparse scale ? OR maybe its all over the place ? Do you think that instrumentation has any kind of effect on your tastes in music ?
Due: 2/13
Homework : What Are Your Stereotypes ?
For each of the popular music genres, go through and tell me 10 things that fall on your list of what a song must have to be considered part of that particular genre. I.E. What characteristics would your stereotypical country song have ? These should be concrete characteristics that you can point to either visually or aurally and say "Because I can hear _____________ , I know this song belongs to the _______________ Genre"
Genres :
1. Rock
2. Pop
3. Hip Hop
4. Country
5. Jazz
Here are the four genres for which you will come up with stereotypes. I have put links for the billboard top charts in each genre respectively - you should listen to the top songs in each genre and see what they all have in common ? These shared characteristics are actually a 'shared set of conventions' that will make up your stereotype.
****One wrinkle to this is that we may all have our own personal checklist that is different from the common stereotype - that's ok ! Include those in your list *****
For each of the popular music genres, go through and tell me 10 things that fall on your list of what a song must have to be considered part of that particular genre. I.E. What characteristics would your stereotypical country song have ? These should be concrete characteristics that you can point to either visually or aurally and say "Because I can hear _____________ , I know this song belongs to the _______________ Genre"
Genres :
1. Rock
2. Pop
3. Hip Hop
4. Country
5. Jazz
Here are the four genres for which you will come up with stereotypes. I have put links for the billboard top charts in each genre respectively - you should listen to the top songs in each genre and see what they all have in common ? These shared characteristics are actually a 'shared set of conventions' that will make up your stereotype.
****One wrinkle to this is that we may all have our own personal checklist that is different from the common stereotype - that's ok ! Include those in your list *****
Due 2/18
*** Example can be found on 2/13 webpage
Homework : Genre Research
- The Goal of this discussion is to listen to a couple obscure genres that you would not have otherwise listened to.
- You will pick a couple genres (see instructions below) and listen to some of the examples given on the spotify list. after listening, try to come up with a stereotype / list of musical characteristics that genre has.
- ** Some of these will be in common with the larger genre (I.E. Grunge Rock would share some characteristics with Rock) But try to key in on the defining characteristics that really distinguish it from the larger category. Maybe grunge rock is specifically aimed at young people while Rock is not age specific (not true, just an idea) .
- Choosing Genres:
- Your first genre should be a sub-genre of your favorite kind of music. Choose one within your favorite category that you didn't know existed, or may not have thought existed . (to see the sub genres , click on your favorite genre within the list, like the rap example in the pictures above)
- Your Second Genre can be anything you like! Again, Try to find one that is extra obscure or didn't know existed
- Include in your Assignment :
- IN your assignment, you will list :
- (1) The Genre
- (2) 3 of the songs you listened to within that genre to develop that answer, and
- (3) a list of 5 defining characteristics within that genre( try to Note whether or not those characteristics were in common with its larger category, or totally unique)
- (4) Assuming this is some type of 'Sub-Genre' , What are some things it has in common with its larger parent genre ( EX Heavy Metal >>>> Rock). Some things that are different ?
- (5) And Lastly give an opinion on where or not think this is a legitimate genre - does it deserve its own category ? is it unique enough? **remember to try to key into the specific elements that make that genre unique).
- IN your assignment, you will list :
Due 2/20
Homework : Intro to Melody
- Below is a documentary done by Howard Goodall introducing Melody
- Your second Assignment is to keep track of Vocabulary words he uses, and give a definition for them. You can give me either his definition , or look up the definition after , however, the work MUST be in the documentary
- You will be graded on how many terms you get, The goal being an 15 terms to get an A
- Use the spot on the Assignment Template
Due 2/25
Steps 1 & 2 from genre evolution assignment
Step 1 : Choose a Genre
Give some background on the genre. This should include things like:
-Approximate year of when the genre started
-A couple of the first songs/recordings of the genre
-Some Important or influential artists within that genre
- Some modern / present artists within that genre
You may choose any genre, but Remember to make things as easy as possible on yourself.
******** The more the genre has changed over the course of it's life, the more differences you will have to talk about******
***** Stick to larger, broader genres - example "house" music would be a sub genre of "electronic dance music" *****
Step 2: Choose Recordings
Pick THREE SONGS (single songs not albums) from within your genre
You may pick any songs from within your genre with one requirement
You must pick:
1 from EARLY in your genre's 'life'
1 from the MIDDLE of your genre's 'life'
1 from CURRENT example
Example:
Rock:
Life = 1950's - Present
Early ; 50-60 Middle ; 80 - 90 Late ; 2010 - present
Jazz:
Life - 1920's - Present
Early ; 20's Middle ; 60-70 Late; 20-pres
Be selective here ; remember you want to pick songs that best exemplify the evolution of the genre - I.E. your Current example should sound VERY different from your older example.
Give some background on the genre. This should include things like:
-Approximate year of when the genre started
-A couple of the first songs/recordings of the genre
-Some Important or influential artists within that genre
- Some modern / present artists within that genre
You may choose any genre, but Remember to make things as easy as possible on yourself.
******** The more the genre has changed over the course of it's life, the more differences you will have to talk about******
***** Stick to larger, broader genres - example "house" music would be a sub genre of "electronic dance music" *****
Step 2: Choose Recordings
Pick THREE SONGS (single songs not albums) from within your genre
You may pick any songs from within your genre with one requirement
You must pick:
1 from EARLY in your genre's 'life'
1 from the MIDDLE of your genre's 'life'
1 from CURRENT example
Example:
Rock:
Life = 1950's - Present
Early ; 50-60 Middle ; 80 - 90 Late ; 2010 - present
Jazz:
Life - 1920's - Present
Early ; 20's Middle ; 60-70 Late; 20-pres
Be selective here ; remember you want to pick songs that best exemplify the evolution of the genre - I.E. your Current example should sound VERY different from your older example.
Homework:Due 3/12
Pick 10 songs and use the metronome found here to figure out the tempo/bpm of each tune.
***Don't just use a website like this as you will not get anything out of the assignment !****
Questions:
1. What do you think would be the tempo / BPM for a "slow song"
2. What do you think would be the tempo / BPM for a "Fast song"
3. Did you notice any trends in the tempo of your music ? (mostly fast or mostly slow ? All over ?)
Pick 10 songs and use the metronome found here to figure out the tempo/bpm of each tune.
- Listen to the tune
- Tap along with rhythm (it may help to try to find where the repetitive pattern is [what instrument] but don't think to much )
- with trial and error use the metronome tap out a tempo that is close to what you were tapping out
- check back with to tune, go back and forth to make sure
***Don't just use a website like this as you will not get anything out of the assignment !****
Questions:
1. What do you think would be the tempo / BPM for a "slow song"
2. What do you think would be the tempo / BPM for a "Fast song"
3. Did you notice any trends in the tempo of your music ? (mostly fast or mostly slow ? All over ?)